Beauty and the Trickster: Calling Out
by CharmiaArkenstone
Summary: Sequel to Beauty and the Trickster. After the Battle of New York, Erica Stark has begun to make her way in life. But it turns out the peace that the Avengers fought for was a mere illusion and everything lies in the balance once more. Friends, allies and enemies alike must now reunite to save both Midgard and Asgard from old and deadly foes.
1. Chapter 1: Hello Again

**Hello there everyone, thank you so much for giving this a read and I hope you'll enjoy. This is the third story in the series:**

**1. Harmony and Thunder**

**2. Beauty and the Trickster**

**3. Beauty and the Trickster: Calling Out**

**If you like my work then please check my profile for my other stories and let me know what you think.**

* * *

Erica's eyes flickered open at the sound of JARVIS's voice in her room, a small smile spread across her face, still slightly in her dream world. Turning her head towards her lightening windows, she tuned into what the AI was saying.

"…with scattered clouds that will clear in the afternoon, "JARVIS did like his weather reports. "Your father is already up and you have a conference at nine thirty AM."

Erica blinked, wide awake. Today wasn't just any conference, it was one of hers. As daughter of Tony Stark, Erica had found that she had quite a lot of influence; people listened to her. Although she was not in the field of science like Tony, Erica had her deep passions and her adoptive parents had got her into the idea that she could share her passions with the world. At first, Erica had not liked the conferences and still three months later they weren't her favourite thing and the thing she hated most was when she had to speak. However when it came to her passions, her nervousness seemed to melt away as she became so deeply involved with what she talked about.

Sitting up a little too quickly, Erica rubbed the sleep from her eyes and ran a hand through her messy hair. "What time is it again?" she asked.

"Eight twenty-seven," JARIVS informed her.

"Thanks," she nodded and threw off the bed covers.

After brushing her honey coloured hair to get rid of the majority of knots, Erica applied a tiny bit of makeup; a stroke or two of mascara on each eye and a slight touch of lipstick. She dressed casually, as she always did. Erica brushed her hair again, smoothing it all out. Her mind was already buzzing with the speech she was going to give. The fact that she felt she had to give it in the first place made her angry… and slightly hate society along with it. Erica had never liked what society did to people, especially women.

She stopped herself, reminding herself to save it. A mini explosion in her room was not what she needed.

Pepper was making breakfast when Erica emerged from her room and into the kitchen. The girl preferred living in the Malibu mansion in California to the Stark Tower in New York. "Morning, Ricky," Pepper called.

"Morning," Erica replied, sitting at the counter.

Then Tony appeared as if from nowhere. "Morning, kiddo," he planted a quick kiss on her temple and sat beside her.

Pepper came to them with two plates of steaming food and placed it in front of them. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Erica said sweetly.

"Yeah, thanks," Tony added quickly, and Pepper chuckled, turning back to get her own plate.

They dug into their food, hardly speaking, and ate quickly. When Erica finished first, she asked if she could be excused to brush her teeth before they left. Looking up from the sink, she saw herself in the mirror and sighed. He'd done it again.

Tilting her head to the side, she got a juicy look at the lovely hickey he'd left her; he liked to leave a mark on her. Show that she was still his. She would have to cover it up, and was surprised her parents hadn't noticed.

He was gentler than he used to be, still him, but softer. When Loki had first taken her, it had been as a slave, a plaything but now she was more than that, and they had grown to the point where they both wanted it and anything that involved Erica being like his slave or plaything was now with her consent. She knew he would never hurt her like that again.

Suddenly filled with nerves and almost guilt, Erica rushed back to her room but suddenly realised she had no foundation. Her next guess would be to find it in Pepper's room. With which the way she suddenly shifted from walking to skulking, she felt as if she was trying to walk away from a murder, and became very aware that JARVIS could see her. She tried her best to seem casual as she entered her parent's room and started looking through Pepper's makeup for a foundation colour that matched her skin.

Her hands made a mess of things as they rummaged through all the cosmetics, at the same time thinking why on Earth one person would need so much makeup. Whatever happened to appreciating natural beauty? Or looking past looks at into someone's actual personality? Erica rolled her eyes. Bloody idiots.

Pepper didn't even wear that much make-up so it bewildered Erica why she would need so much. Finally, Erica found one liquid foundation that seemed to match pretty well with her own skin tone, squeezed a little blob onto the back of her hand and used one of Pepper's many brushes to apply the gunk to her marked skin. It helped a little; it took away a little edge off the redness but Erica found she could still see it. With gritted teeth, she applied a second layer and then a third, also brushing the skin around the mark to even everything out. It made things a little better.

Letting out a huff, the girl half ran back to her room, desperately in search of a casual scarf for simple accessory. She rummaged through her wardrobe and pulled out a scarf that miraculously went with her current outfit. She wrapped it around her neck and instantly felt a hundred times better. _Take that Loki! _She smiled to herself, picturing his smirking grin in her head. Double checking the marks were totally hidden, Erica sighed in relief.

"Come on, Erica!" Pepper called.

"Coming," the girl called back as she hurried out to the car.

Pepper was not going to the conference but she always liked to see Erica off, knowing how nervous she could get beforehand. She and Tony were standing by the car, waiting for her. It would just be Erica and Tony, just the way Erica liked it. She preferred just riding with him than with a big escort or anything like that. It still bothered her to be in such close quarters with too many people, or to feel like she was surrounded.

"Hey, kiddo," Tony grinned at her. Erica smiled almost shyly at his name for her. He often called her that. "You ready to go?"

Erica nodded. She gave Pepper a goodbye hug and kiss and climbed into the passenger seat next to Tony. As they pulled out in the car, the young woman turned back and waved to her adoptive mother until she was out if sight. Like he always did, Tony drove the car pretty fast down the open roads, while playing rock or metal music; most of the time it was ACDC. Erica allowed him these speeds when they were on the open roads, but never through towns or cities. She was very firm with him on that.

Tony wound down the window on his side of the car, music now practically playing to the world. Erica had been tapping her foot to the heavy beat when suddenly her honey coloured hair was blown all across her face. "Tony!" she had to yell. "Window down!" She pulled at her hair frantically, trying to get it back on its correct side of her parting.

Tony grinned, holding in chuckles, and closed the window again.

"You can have them down on the way back," Erica said, checking the nearest car mirror to make sure there were no bits of hair sticking up in random places and smoothed hands across her hair a few more times for good measure. "I just can't turn up at a conference with my hair like a haystack."

"Sure you can," Tony teased. "It'd make a nice change."

"Okay then," Erica chewed her lip, pondering what to retort with, "Then I will pour ketchup all over your suit and make you walk into a conference with that. That'll be a nice change."

"Yeah, but I could then take the bill out of your pocket money," he slipped her a wink at a sideward glance.

"You don't give me pocket money," Erica narrowed her eyes playfully with a tilt of her head.

Tony looked at her for a moment, his mouth turned upwards in a grin but he didn't answer. Erica caught his eye, mirroring his grin. Nowadays, she could wear his expression almost as well as he could himself. Tony's eyes flickered back and forth from the road to his daughter's face. "No, no, stop doing that," he said, close to stuttering, and it only made her grin wider.

"No, stop it," Tony snapped playfully, thinking of something to threaten with. "Or I'll start making you pay rent."

Erica threw her head back, her laugh rich and clear. "Good luck with that." She nibbled her lip, eyebrows raised, as she imagined Tony actually trying to get her to pay rent.

"Or I could take your toys away," Tony said.

"That's not fair! I only have two suits; you have, like, half a million," Erica protested, throwing her hands up in exaggerating gesture.

"And if you carry on, you'll have none," Tony declared, trying to feign sounding firm and strict; it didn't suit him well though.

"Wait, why are we having this argument again?" Erica asked, her mouth wide in an infectious smile. Tony didn't answer but his strict façade melted away like liquid wax.

The youngest Stark ordered her adoptive father to slow down as they drew closer to the conference. She found herself growing edgy as more and more cars and other things started to surround them. Tony was hardly the most careful person, nor the most responsible. Erica could see people already there for the conference, and tons of reporters and flashing lights. She swallowed, while her mind groaned and her lips pressed into a thin line. Her canine tooth bit down gently on the inside of her lip. Her mind morphed getting into the conference from the car as some kind of obstacle that she'd just have to brave.

The car pulled over and someone came to open the doors for the Starks. Erica opened her own door before someone could get to her; she could open a door by herself, but she smiled as thanks for the gesture. Walking a little too quickly, she hurried back to Tony's side, where she instantly felt more protected. Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they began to make their way through the crowd.

Erica could barely understand what all the reporters were calling out, perhaps the occasional word or phrase. Whenever passing through a sea of photographers and reporters, Erica only spoke to them if Tony did (sometimes there were times when you didn't, and Erica wasn't as sharp as her father at picking out those moments) or when it was a topic she had good knowledge or strong opinions on. But today, they weren't answering reports; they just wanted to get inside.

"You didn't have to come with me," Erica muttered to Tony. "I would have been fine with Happy."

"No, you wouldn't," Tony muttered back, pausing to smile for a quick photo, "You would've end up hiding in Happy's jacket; you still freak out at crowds, I know you do. And anyway, I'm not gonna miss this. I'm your dad and I should always be there for you." He planted an affectionate kiss to her temple, and Erica smiled and her heart felt all warm inside.

Finally they made it through the hectic crowds. Erica could feel the nerves beginning to dawn upon her, anxiety rearing its ugly head. She swallowed, subconsciously pressing closer to Tony.

The conference room was fairly dark when Erica and Tony entered from a side stage door, accompanied by a couple of guards, just for precaution, obviously. From where she was standing, the audience appeared very daunting to Erica. The podium she was stand at was already under a spotlight. The rest of the lights would dim once she began her talk. The people were already seated, chatting amongst themselves, in rows of seats getting higher the further back you went, so everyone could see the stage.

Her stomach started doing flips, but at that moment, Tony grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, as if he knew.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer boomed through the room, silencing the many conversations, and the lights dimmed, "Presenting Miss Erica Stark."

Erica let out a long deep breath as the audience erupted into applause. Tony gave her hand another squeeze. "Go get 'em, kiddo," he whispered.

_I am Iron Maiden, I am Iron Maiden, _Erica repeated to herself as she stepped out on stage. _Look, they're applauding you. That's good. They like you._

The young woman smiled as she stepped up the podium, all her notes and remote for the projector ready and waiting. Many people liked the fact that she wasn't another Tony Stark; she was her own, different person. The applause died down and Erica saw Tony slip into the front row. She opened her mouth, waiting for the nervousness to melt away.

"Hi," she smiled innocently, a tiny blush creeping onto her face, "Today, I'm gonna be talking about what self-love is, how it can be damaged and how it can be achieved again." To her eternal gratefulness, the podium hid her shaking knees from sight. "I was once heard, when I was young, that in order to love those around me, I had to also love myself. Back then, I really wasn't sure what that meant, and didn't for a long time. Like everyone, I expect, we've all felt horrible about ourselves, felt like we're not good enough, or don't look the 'right' way.

"The way we think and feel about ourselves is corrupted from early childhood, particularly body image, and especially for women more than men. But both sexes are fed all these lies about what we should do, how we should look, what our worth is in, and that is how we look. Girls especially are taught that their only worth is in their physical appearance, and if they're not gorgeous and thin then they're worth shit.

"You see in children's films, the princesses are tiny little women with unrealistic bodies who are incapable of looking after themselves without the help of a man. I know what some of you will be thinking, they're just films, but these films can fill girls' heads with all these thoughts and ideas. It's not just girls, it's boys too. Boys are taught that they have to be tough and extremely masculine and when they're not, they're shamed for it, but men and femininity is another issue.

"And later on in life, it gets worse," Erica paused to bring up a picture of a few magazine covers onto the screen, typical fashion, celebrity magazines. "We're bombarded every day with images of how we should look and whenever we don't, we feel bad about ourselves, when in reality, these pictures here aren't even real. Those people don't really look like that. Photos are edited, photo-shopped, airbrushed. This ideal idea of what beauty is and should be is actually false and almost impossible to reach.

"So no wonder we feel shit about the way we look. This 'ideal' body image is roughly about 20% lower than the ideal healthy weight, and it keeps getting worse, more impossible. People are destroying their lives trying to live up to societies expectations. Girls, how many of you open up a magazine and think 'that actually looks like someone or someone I know'. It just doesn't happen. You ever see anyone who looks like that?" she turned and gestured up to the pictures on the screen.

"And you might ask, why do they do it? Because they're greedy and selfish and just want money. The beauty industry thrives on your insecurities about yourself and they make millions of dollars a year from it. People buy make-up, clothes that make them look slimmer, dieting. They're so desperate to change themselves to fit this unreal expectation of the society and people around them. That's not self-love. That is self-destruction that comes from self-hatred." Erica paused to take a breath.

"No one should hate themselves because of what they naturally are. People need to learn and understand that varieties and differences in the ways people look are a good thing. Not having the 'perfect' body shouldn't take away someone's value as a person. Tagging value on someone's appearance takes away value of their personality, their ambitions, their morals, their opinions and makes those things out to be worthless. It also teaches that beauty is the key to everything when it really isn't and it just results in people feeling bad and hating themselves.

"But there are ways to repair damage that's been done to the way people think about themselves. People need to stop hating themselves, as well as those around them, for who they are and realise that they _are_ good enough and society's expectations can fuck itself. Stop reading those magazines and ignore the media that portrays a false idea of beauty, or acknowledge and remind yourself that it's not real and not healthy. Get rid of those negative influences. Remind yourself that you're a fucking human being and not an object to be beautiful, and you don't need to change yourself for anyone.

"Surround yourself with people who make you happy and feel good about yourself, people who recognise your true value as a person and don't judge you because of how you look. Those people aren't real friends. Do things that you enjoy with them. Go out shopping, go hiking, sit down and watch a movie, whatever you like to do. Spend time doing what you love and not what is expected of you.

"Take pride in your talent and things you're good at and things you enjoy. Not everyone is going to be great at everything, but that's okay, that's life. Don't feel bad if there is something you can't do; if you enjoy it then there's no reason why you shouldn't do it, and then there are things you'll be amazing at. Eat the foods you like and make you feel good, wear the clothes you like, do the hobbies you like.

"And it's okay to mess up sometimes. You're going to make mistakes during your life and there's no shame in that. We aren't perfect beings, but in itself, that is the perfection." Erica finished with a gentle, warm smile.

Applause filled the room again, only so much louder. People rose from their seats and she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and happiness swell inside her.

"Miss Stark will not be taking any questions," the announcer informed the audience. "Thank you for attending."

The spotlight slowly dimmed. Erica collected her notes and did a little skip down from the podium and walked back down to the side stage door.

She felt relieved. Not because she was off stage and could go home, but because she'd had a chance to say the things she'd wanted to and get it off her chest. Erica sometimes got very angry and upset with the world; she'd always hated the way modern society was but never thought there was anything she could do about. Who would listen to her? But now as the daughter of Tony Stark, people would listen to her. She felt she was empowered by that and she could hopefully make a difference for the better.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and please leave a comment because it really helps and keeps me motivated. If there are any issues you would like me (Erica) to talk about then let me know :)**

**Happy New Year**

**Love and hugs xxx**


	2. Chapter 2: Two Worlds

**Hi, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy!**

"That was definitely one of the nicest issues to talk about; not much yelling at other people for being arseholes," Erica said, leaning forward as she took a small bite out of her chicken and lettuce burger. Tony sat opposite, taking much larger bites of his own cheese burger. It had almost become a ritual for them to get a bite to eat after a conference, whether it was at Burger King or a small café or even a chip shop. It was one of those little bonding things Erica and Tony did as actual people, rather than Iron Man and Iron Maiden.

"Yeah, but you gotta admit, you do love telling people off about those things," Tony said and swallowed his mouthful.

"If they weren't such uneducated, closed minded pricks I wouldn't have to," Erica shrugged. "This country is so sex negative. The UK ain't much better there either."

"Which is worse?" Tony asked.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged again. "But seeing as the U.S is so much bigger there's much more shit to deal with at one time. So many more people that I have to resist smashing round the head."

"Easy there She-Hulk," Tony lifted his hands, feigning the act of calming her down, but she only laughed. "I thought you were one who wants to 'educate them and not attack them'," he quoted, mocking her English accent, that hadn't managed to falter slightly, despite her long time in America. Tony knew that she wore her British nationality with pride.

"I know," Erica said. "That is the way to go around it. If you get fired up then they get fired up and then you wanna kill each other." Her hands mimicked scales for emphasis. "And it won't change them so you have to reason with them. Despite the amount of killing sprees I've wanted to go on, it's so much better if I'm not worked up and I can talk sense into them."

"I'm sure a few accidents could be arranged," Tony joked, his brown eyes playful. "I think Bruce is in the country."

"Is he?" Erica asked as she took another bite. "I would have thought he'd have gone far away again. I've not heard from him since…" her voice faltered slightly.

"Since Loki," Tony finished, a usual edge of disgust to his voice.

Remaining silent, Erica took a bigger bite of her burger, her eyes on her plate rather than Tony. She hated it when the subject of Loki came up, especially around her father. He hadn't the faintest idea that Loki was still a huge part of her life, and Erica had it in her best interests to keep it that way. She couldn't imagine how he'd react if he found out.

"So, er," Tony cleared his throat, "have you decided what you're doing for university? I don't know why you think you need to. You've got your whole life covered."

"So?" Erica shrugged in passive challenge. "I still want to finish my education and I want to apply for Cambridge. I always wanted to go there."

"Yeah, I understand that," Tony nodded, "But you really want to go back to England? You don't want to go to a university here?"

"I've always had my eyes set on Cambridge. And I don't mind flying back here each term," Erica pulled a strand of lettuce out of her burger and popped it into her mouth. "There's a better chance of a quieter education over there than there is here, and plus, it'll give me a chance to do some talks while I'm there too."

"That reminds me," Tony sat forward, swallowing his current bite, "You've got an interview this afternoon."

Erica groaned. "Really?"

"Yeah, sorry, but it's just the one. You can do that," he said with an edge of firmness.

The teenager groaned again. She couldn't be bothered for an interview, not today. But she reminded herself that she often found herself dreading interviews, after a conference more than most, but she didn't mind them once she was actually there. Hopefully it just wouldn't drag on for too long. In truth, Erica was eager for night to come; she could tell Loki off for leaving such a prominent mark on her. She knew how that would turn out…

"Um, what time is it?" Erica asked, mentally shaking off those thoughts.

Checking his watch, Tony answered, "One."

Erica pulled out her phone to see what time it was now and how much longer they had left. It had just gone twelve, plenty of time to finish their early lunch and get back in time for her interview. It was really just the big conference talks that she didn't like – too many people – but when it was one to one, she didn't mind much at all. Some interviewers and journalists were very nice, others not quite so much. It was odd, but Erica was still learning to read people; she had spent most of her life trying to distance herself from humans. Because she hated them.

To her, so many of them were cruel, greedy and selfish, and she didn't want to be around that. Running away was the only thing she could do back then; she couldn't have fought. Now, while she was around so many more of her own kind, Erica was starting to see that not all people were as bad as she had once thought. Not all of them were cruel, greedy or selfish, true, there were some lunatics out there but not everyone was like that.

When the Starks finished their early lunch, Tony drove them back the mansion, at a very high speed, with the windows down, as Erica had allowed. ACDC's '_Back in Black' _was thrumming through the whole car, the beats sending heavy vibrations through the metal. Tapping her foot and nodding her head to the rhythm, Erica mouthed the words; there was no way she could ever sing like that.

The wind blew her long honey coloured hair into disarray but she didn't mind anymore. As they pulled in at the mansion, Tony drew up the car windows and Erica cleared her tangled hair from her face, managing to put it back into some kind of order. The young woman checked her phone again; she had about twenty minutes before the journalist arrived. She would have to brush her hair again before she saw them.

"I saw you on the TV," Pepper said as she came to embrace Erica when they got inside. She had a proud wide smile on her face. "You were amazing." Her arms folded around the youngest Stark, who returned the affection with equal strength, smiling modestly.

"I hope it's actually helping," Erica said.

"You are. You're doing great," Pepper kissed her forehead and cleared her hair behind her ears.

"It'd be so much simpler with more women in charge," Erica sighed with a slight tilt of the head. "Right, I should get ready." Pepper nodded and Erica walked off with a skip in her step.

"She's happy, isn't she?" Tony asked after their daughter had disappeared, but there was a sombre edge to his voice.

Pepper turned her head to look at him. "Of course she is. She told me herself; she's happy practically all the time." She angled her body to face him. "Why do you ask?"

Tony sighed. "The subject of Loki was brought up today. It made me remember all the hell he put her through, and then at the same time how she went back to him."

"Those were," Pepper paused, rubbing his arm, "dark times. You've seen her change. She's come out of that shell she was in. You've seen how happy she is."

"I know, but I can't help wonder what happened to her. She never told anyone, apart from Harmony. I mean, I've got no idea of what she went through. All I know is that it was sick and twisted," he spat.

"Tony," Pepper began softly, "that's all in the past. Loki is worlds away."

* * *

Erica changed her top and picked out a cotton plain pink coloured top that buttoned up. It went nicely with her blue jeans and lightly hugged her figure. She brushed her hair again to get out all the knots from the ride home. Her locks of dark blonde fell into flowing waves around her shoulders and down her back. As she brushed, Erica decided what she would do that evening. Watching a film curled up on the sofa instantly appealed to her. _With tea, _her mind added, _of course with tea… and biscuits_.

"Ma'am," JARVIS said, making her jump, "a Miss Jenny Walters is here for your interview."

"Thank you," Erica answered. "Where is she?"

"On the balcony, Miss Stark," JARVIS informed her.

Nodding, Erica hurried downstairs to find Pepper talking with the interviewer, probably to occupy her, on the balcony, looking out over the ocean. "Here she is," Pepper smiled. "I'll leave you to it."

"It was lovely to meet you, Miss Potts," Jenny Walters nodded sweetly, before turning to acknowledge Erica. She offered her hand. "Miss Stark. I'm Jenny."

"Good to meet you," Erica returned the smile and the handshake. Tony had actually taken the time to show her how to shake hands with people in interviews and meetings. "Please, sit," she gestured to the chairs set out on the balcony.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me. I'm a huge admirer," Jenny said, taking the seat opposite Erica. "I've been waiting for weeks for this chance. I wanted to talk to you about the talk you did this morning. What are your own experiences with self-love? How has it affected you and in the past?"

Straight back in that zone of passion, Erica answered confidently, "I think like most girls I was very insecure about myself. I'd see adverts on the TV, and things like that, and feel bad about the way I looked or was so I really know what it's like to not love yourself and to be in that self-destructive mind set." She paused as Jenny scribbled down some notes.

"When I was twelve, I think, I thought I was overweight and went on a diet and stopped eating all unhealthy food and stopped eating a lot altogether. I remember always hating the way I was made to feel about myself but then I could never get those unachievable expectations out of my head. It can be really hard to get over that and realize that it's really not what people make it out to be," Erica said.

"Have you always had these opinions?" Jenny asked.

"Yes, definitely for a long time, but before I felt I couldn't really do anything about it so instead I distanced myself from people so maybe it wouldn't have such an impact on me. I'd spend a lot of time thinking, is it so bad that there is diversity in the way people look? And the answer is no; there is nothing bad about differences in the way we look."

"Was it difficult for you to start loving yourself after so long?" Jenny asked, writing at the same time.

"Yeah, it was, but it's definitely achievable. A lot of the advice I gave today helped me start to love myself for who I was. People first need to realize the reality of things and stop letting fake ideals put them down and see how much more worth they have. It's not about how you look that defines how much you're worth; it's who you are, how you treat other people. Things like someone's personality, and morals, and goals are so much more important that someone's looks. Taking those steps that I mentioned today are a great way to get out of that self-hating, self-destructive mind-set. I mean, what's better: standing against those fake expectations and loving yourself? Or letting yourself be controlled and feel awful about yourself?"

Jenny chucked, as if she'd been blown away. "You certainly have a great deal of passion."

"It's a good thing to be passionate about," Erica said with a casual shrug of the shoulders.

"A lot of people, especially young women and girls, are starting to look up to you and become inspired by you, how do you feel about that?" Jenny said.

"I think it's great if people are starting to break all the boundaries set for them on body image and sexuality and all that. It's great to see that they're standing up for what they believe in and don't want to let themselves be oppressed by society. It's great if people are opening their minds and thinking 'Yeah, I'm fine the way I am'," the young Stark replied, rather flattered to hear that there were people looking up to her.

Jenny checked her watch. "I'm running pretty short on time, so, last question. What are we gonna be hearing about from you soon?"

"I will probably stay with body image at the moment; talk more about things like 'fat shame' and 'fat phobia' and the impacts of dieting. A lot of that links in to how people feel about themselves, so probably that," Erica said.

"I look forward to it," Jenny said, closing her notepad. "It was lovely to finally meet you, Erica – can I call you 'Erica'?"

Erica nodded. "Sure. And it was lovely to meet you too." She walked Jenny to the door and said goodbye to her there. She watched her car drive away and went back inside. She was tired now and wanted to flop.

Watching films for the rest of the day seemed like a wonderful idea; now she had to pick out the films. Disney. But nothing sad. Filled with excitement like a young child, Erica rushed to the huge DVD cabinet, the content of which mostly belonged to her. Her finger trailed the spines of the countless cases, while her canine tooth sunk softly into her lip as she pondered what she'd like to watch first. She ended up deciding to watch 'Snow White' first and then 'Beauty and the Beast' and then 'Aladdin'. Happy with her choices, she carried the DVD's back into the living room and turned on the DVD player.

"I expect you'll be wanting the lights turned off," JARVIS said.

Erica's heart leapt. "Yeah, thanks."

The room became dark and Erica snuggled up on the sofa, resting against the arm like it was Loki's body. A small part of her was expecting to feel two strong arms wrap around her. An even larger part of her wanted it to happen. A sad sigh left her lips as she was reminded that she'd probably never feel Loki's embrace in the flesh ever again. As the film played, Erica found herself often thinking how she'd love it if Loki could just turn up at her door one day. He'd probably tease her for those thoughts, or remind her that she was just being stupid because it could never happen.

At the end of 'Snow White', Erica went to get herself a snack and came back with some white bread and butter and some cherry tomatoes she'd found in the fridge. She put them on the table between the sofa and large flat-screen TV and then went to get the blanket from her room, which she kept on the end of her bed. While she up in her room, she decided to grab a pillow too.

"Lights, JARVIS," she said as she settled back onto the sofa and pressed play to the second film.

"Yes, ma'am," was the casual reply she got, and the room grew dark once more.

Erica nibbled on her bread and butter first and later picked at her tomatoes, all the while slowly becoming more and more sleepy. By about half past four, she was almost asleep, dozing quietly in a small bundle. Every now and then, she'd slip back into consciousness, maybe open her eyes for a few seconds. The film was nearly at an end; Erica made herself wake up properly so she could change it and then maybe fall asleep during 'Aladdin'. She dozed off fairly quickly again.

"Why's it all dark in here?" Tony asked, as he came up from his workshop, but his voice trailed off as he saw a film playing and could make out the silhouette of his daughter curled up. He went over to her to see if she was all right. Her eyes were closed; she appeared to be sleeping.

Tony sat down next to her, and ran his hand over her hair, clearing a few strands from her peaceful face. Erica stirred with a long sigh and stretched like a cat. "Did I wake you?" Tony asked quietly.

She shook her head, sitting up, "No," her voice was slightly croaky. "Just tired." She rubbed her eyes.

"Do you wanna order pizza for supper, not exactly healthy but," Tony shrugged.

Erica nodded, "Mmm hmm," she smiled up at him.

"Usual?"

She nodded again. Tony leaned down and kissed her forehead before getting up to order their dinner. Still smiling, Erica snuggled back into her bundle, wrapping her blanket more tightly around herself and basking in the sweet warmth. On the screen, the Genie was singing to Aladdin in the cave and Erica smiled like a child. She loved the times like this, when she could feel young and like a child again. In so many other aspects of life, she had to be mature and grown up so it was nice to have the feeling of being so young again.

Tony came and sat down next to her on the sofa, which she wasn't expecting; he was usually too busy with his work and rarely did this sort of thing. He held his arm out, inviting her in for a cuddle. Before Erica, Tony never cuddled with anyone, not even Pepper, but now it was something he loved to do with his adopted daughter. Half the time, they were more like brother and sister or best friends than father and daughter.

Erica shifted her body and snuggled into Tony's side, making sure they both got some of the blanket. Tony smiled and gave most of it back to her. "I'm all right," he murmured barely above silence.

Erica nodded, knowing either if he didn't need the blanket or just wanted her to have it he'd never accept it from her. Tony was very warm and soon Erica found herself pushing the blanket away slightly. It was different to Loki. He was only warm if she warmed him, otherwise he was somewhat cold. He didn't seem to mind it or feel it though.

When the pizza arrived, Pepper came to join them and they ate while watching the end of Aladdin. Erica went up to the bathroom after she'd finished eating, before they put on 'Sleeping Beauty', to which Erica knew she'd fall asleep to. She used to the loo and brushed her hair out of habit. She couldn't be bothered to brush her teeth; she'd do it in the morning. But she thought she should get changed as she was upstairs. Jeans were uncomfortable to sleep in anyway.

Pepper pressed 'play' when she came back downstairs, and she snuggled back up next to Tony with her blanket around her. Her eyelids grew heavy and for some reason, Erica tried to keep them open for a while. In a state of half consciousness, she thought she felt Tony kiss her forehead, "Go to sleep, kiddo," he whispered.

With that, Erica obeyed and drifted peacefully into the world of sleep.

* * *

**Please review, it's a massive help!**

**Also NOTE: updates may be rather irregular for an amount of time because I have an awful lot to deal with right now but don't worry, I always aim to write a little bit everyday so don't ever think I've forgotten ;)**

**In the meanwhile please check out my profile and read my other stories, and let me know what you think on them. I love reviews!**

**Love and hugs xxx**


	3. Chapter 3: The Dreamlord

**Please read the author's note at the end (and leave a review!)**

_Everything was silent, save perhaps for the near silent sound of Erica's breathing and subtle rhythmic thump of her pulse in her ears. Blinking, she cleared her unfocused vision and her sight adjusted to her surroundings, wondering where Loki had chosen to bring her this time. He was the Dreamlord. He controlled everything in the dream, except her mind and her actions. But then, she didn't have full control of herself; it was a dream after all. Albeit a very vivid dream, and unlike any other kind of dream._

_It was odd in the dreamland. Very little affected her; not hunger, not thirst, not sleepiness, in fact, hardly any of her regular bodily functions. One thing she could definitely feel was physical weakness and exhaustion from Loki, but nonetheless, she woke the next morning bright and full of energy. _

_Stretching her neck, Erica looked around, and she saw that he had brought her to Stark Tower in New York. He liked to bring her here when he wanted to play Hunt with her. He still remembered how her mind had been that of prey, and even now, she still had part of that mind-set. At Stark Tower, he could chase and play with her until he got bored and caught her. The girl knew he wasn't going to hurt her when he caught her; it was the thrilling fear of the chase, and the awaiting pleasure of the capture._

_Swallowing her nerves that had bloomed in her silent standstill, Erica took the first step and began the hunt._

_As she walked, posture tense and ready to bolt, behaviour like that of a doe. The hairs on the back of her neck were right on end, as she swore the tower was slowly growing darker. Out of nowhere there was a horrible startling clatter that made the young Stark jump with a small cry of shock. Her body reacted before her lungs did, snapping the direction of the noise. Before her imagination went into overload, Erica broke into a sprint, direction undirected. _

_Wherever she went, a trail of minor chaos followed. Things were knocked over and hit the floor with the most tremendous clangs and clashes, each one spurring her forward, as they slowly crept closer and closer to her. In dreams, Erica's stamina was far better, not to say that she didn't tire eventually; Loki did love his chases. _

_Slowing down was a mistake. _

_Shadows jumped out from the darkness, swirling around her like a black fog. A loud gasp was stolen from her, her body lurched away, slightly stumbling as she turned to desperately flee. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, blood singing, mind racing. _

_"Erica…Erica…Erica," a voice whispered through the darkness. _

_Erica slowed, and by now she was panting, and she looked around carefully, half expecting the shadows to leap at her. But when she turned back, they were back where they should have been, behind all the walls and furniture, peeping out slightly. The whole tower had suddenly been engulfed by a wave of stillness and silence. Erica swallowed again, as the feeling in her toned legs began to weaken, leaving them feeling like paper within seconds. _

_At the end of the corridor, a light flickered on. Erica blinked several times, her eyes so well adjusted to the darkness that even a little light made her feel blind. She imagined her pupils were barely visible in her ocean blue irises. Knowing what Loki was doing, she turned and purposefully ran away from the light, further and further into the darkness of her father's tower._

_"…Erica…," the voice beckoned again. A small smile tugged at her lips as she pressed herself on with all the speed she could muster. Rounding a corner at top speed, she found herself faced with four doors. No doubt conjured by Loki; Erica was 99.9% sure they did not exist in the real tower._

_Erica tried the first door. Locked._

_Erica tried the second door. Locked_

_Erica tried the third door. Locked. _

_Erica tried the fourth door, by now desperate and begging. It opened smoothly._

_Without thinking, she rushed through it into the unknown room concealed behind it, and slammed it shut. Erica ground to a halt._

_This room certainly did not exist in the Stark Tower; this room was like the one at Loki's mansion back in England, like the very same room where she lost her innocence and the very same room where she became irrevocably Loki's. _

_The room was too dark and Erica didn't like it. Loki would be in here, where else would he be if not here? Then, as if on cue a fire erupted from nothing in the ornate fireplace, and through instinctive reaction, Erica's body jerked. Following the crackle of the fire, came a low, masculine chuckle, which also managed to startle her a little. "Good," the male said. It was clear that he was smirking smugly to himself even though she couldn't see him. "But not good enough."_

_Slowly, gracefully, Loki rose from the velvet armchair by the fire. He often used to sit there, Erica remembered. The dark god was dressed in black linen trousers and a dark emerald cotton shirt that unbuttoned down to his abdomen, his usual casual attire. It was only then that it occurred to Erica as to what she might be wearing; she glanced down at herself and mentally shrugged. It was only her blue jeans and pink top from that day._

_She said nothing as Loki glided towards her, the grace of a cat within his movements, and within three strides of his long, slender legs he was stood before his girl. He curled a strand of her hair behind her ear, revealing the mark he'd made. The corners of his mouth turned upwards in a self-satisfied smile, while Erica pursed her lips like a stubborn child. "You like it really," Loki told her, matter-of-factly._

_"Not when there's a possibility that my parents or anyone else could see," she retorted. "I'd never hear the end of it."_

_"What matter is it? They can do nothing," Loki shrugged, while his eyes glinted with playfulness and cunning._

_"Yes, they can," Erica whined, not wanting to continue the argument. "Just don't do it again, or at least do it somewhere that I can hide easily."_

_Baring his white teeth, Loki chuckled, lifting a hand to stroke the side of her face, his fingers gently caressing the roots of her hair. "Very well, if you insist."_

_Erica said nothing in reply and let him inch closer to her, the heat of her mortal body reaching out to touch him. With eyes like a hunter, the god gazed down at her, and he let out a soft humming sigh, a low, unintentionally sultry sound that made her skin pleasantly prickle. She was expecting him any moment to lower his head and catch her lips in a gentle kiss. In such a close, tender moment like this, Loki would always kiss her softly to begin with. Nowadays it was a much bigger concern to him about their differences in strength and durability. _

_But he didn't kiss her. "It does surprise me that you name Stark your father."_

_Erica sighed. "Well, he is now. Must we start this?"_

_"He is a reckless fool. You know that as well as I do," Loki said sharply. Erica bit her lip, her gaze flickering up and down. _

_"Yes, okay, he's reckless," she huffed. "But he adopted me, so he is legally my father." She paused, quickly working out, well, remembering why he would have brought this up. "Is this because of Odin?"_

_Loki eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of the All-Father's name, the edges of his eyes prickling with bitterness, but he did not say a word, and Erica continued softly, "It is, isn't it? Because he was never really your father, so that's why you don't like the fact that Tony adopted me."_

_Loki shrugged coolly, denying whatever he felt. "I merely think it strange that you so readily accept him as your father."_

_"I don't care what you think about it," Erica said, with a small shrug of her own. "I don't know why you're fussing either. This is my life, not yours."_

_A smile softened Loki's face, albeit a smirking kind of smile, but it was a smile nonetheless. He liked it that she could bite back, that she was growing more confident. He remembered the little girl that had bowed her head and gone along quietly, only to then be reminded that she never quite submitted completely. His eyebrows rose, showing he would not pry further into that issue._

_Loki would not lie to himself that he was proud of her; she had risen up against the fools of Midgard – and there were a lot of them – and was battling for what she believed in. He still believed Gods were above mortals as creatures with their enhanced, supernatural abilities, but he did not think himself above Erica; he treated her with care and respect, or tried his best to and that was what mattered. Against the oppressive humans that plagued Earth, Loki happily approved of what she was doing. He had seen her grow from it, become stronger and more passionate but she was still as gentle and caring as she had always been._

_Erica leaned into his body, pressing herself against him, and she closed her eyes to heighten her other senses and feel Loki's iron embrace more strongly than ever. Her arms found their way around his waist and she pulled herself tighter to him before he bowed at the waist to embrace her fully back. Her back formed an inwards arch as Loki's body had to arch away in order for him to embrace her that way. He raised a large hand to support the back of her head._

_The god's body was still a little cold for Erica's liking and, as she continued to press herself against him, Loki could feel her young, firm breasts being gently crushed into his torso. A soft groan passed through Loki's lips while his eyes closed. Turning his head, he planted a kiss to the side of her forehead, lips cold, and it triggered a shiver to run through her. Before looking up, Erica gently shook her head to clear her face of any hair in the way, and her eyes met his for a few brief moments; his gaze was so piercing, even when gentle, that she found it hard to hold his eyes for long. _

_Her eyes fluttered shyly, somewhat nervously, downwards again but there was a sweet, innocent smile upon her lips. Loki's arms constricted in response as he watched her keenly, head tilted to the side, brow gently furrowed. With the softest touch he could muster, the god curled a long finger under her chin and lifted her head but her eyes still darted from side to side, avoiding looking into his deep emerald eyes for more than a few seconds._

_The grip on Erica's chin tightened suddenly and her face was forced to angle a certain way so she had to meet his eyes, and she made herself look. Loki wanted her to look upon him and she did. He released her chin, an apologetic look flashing through those dazzling irises for a moment, before slowly descending onto her lips for the tender first kiss of that night. Standing on her tiptoes, Erica pushed against his mouth with all her might but she may as well have been brushing her lips against Loki's for all the impact it had on him. If he had not been supporting the back of her head, her neck would have been bent back, broken maybe._

_Picking her up with ease, Loki stepped towards the large bed and laid her down upon it carefully. He had been rough with her the night before, now he would be gentle with her. It was the least she deserved from him. Unlike in normal dreams, Erica could die there; if Loki was not careful enough, his godly strength could still effortlessly end her life._

_His acute hearing caught a sound from her that sounded much like a gasp, only slowed down, a deep breath, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. Erica liked the feeling of physical vulnerability in sexual situations. It excited her and kept her on her toes. She knew that not all would share her ideas but she didn't care. It would not hurt anyone and it was what she wanted to do, and there was no reason for her not to do it because someone else didn't like it. That was their problem._

_Loki took his time as he climbed on top of her, in full knowledge that the teasing wait would tantalize her thoroughly. She might reach out for him, oh, so sweetly, begging, or she might dare to try and pull him down towards her. However this time, she held out and survived the annoyingly teasing slow descent. Erica loved the feeling of Loki's strong body on top of hers. He always held his weight carefully so he did not hurt her but not so much that she couldn't feel him._

_While one hand cupped her head, Loki arched her back to slip his other arm underneath her, holding her tightly between his body and the soft mattress. Erica's own arms found their desired positions in the hold, one rested against Loki's arm, the other wrapped around his neck, her fingers playing subconsciously with the ends of his raven locks of hair. _

_He kissed her again, deep and passionate._

_Closing her dark ocean blue eyes, Erica lost herself, instinct and initiative taking over. Her little fingers slid upwards, tangling themselves in Loki's hair, curling at the roots. He gave a soft moan, a little aroused by the soft tugging at his locks, the want and desire from his little mortal, and his arm gripping her by the waist grew stronger until Loki felt the pressure of his hand wrapped around her left side of ribs. _

_Erica raised her hips, her inner muscles clenching, begging to be satisfied even if it was just a little pressure, a request Loki was happy to fulfil. She could feel how much strength there was behind each gentle push of his hips and how much iron control he was applying to maintain it. It was a kind of gentleness that excited her._

_In need of air, Erica pulled her head in towards herself, as she did, she felt the reluctant tug of Loki's lips on hers but he let her go. Their noses were close enough to touch and Erica softly nudged his nose with hers, a silent request for attention and affection. Loki pressed his forehead to hers, letting out a low sigh as he ground his hips into Erica's, and his eyes watched her carefully to enjoy the sight of her arching her back, moaning softly in response. It almost bewildered him how little effort he needed to please her. Her delicate form only needed the slightest bit of coaxing before it crumbled in a sensual frenzy just for him._

_Loki pushed into her again. His teeth showed in a feral grin at the sound of her sweet moan. Eyelids fluttering, breath trembling, Erica reached up to kiss him, her fingers tightening on his hair, only ending up eliciting a deep soft growl from him that warned her not to push him too far. However, Erica wanted to see if she could push him, perhaps an unwise move, but she didn't seem to care. As she moved her lips against his, she sneakily nipped at his bottom lip with her sharp teeth._

_So she wanted to play, Loki mused in his head. He broke the kiss and chuckled down at her, a playful mirth dancing in his eyes, that all-knowing glint that Erica knew too well shining out like a flame in blackness._

_His head lowered into her neck and nuzzled her head to the side, despite her futile efforts to keep it where it was. The girl suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable, and her body tensed as Loki's lips brushed gracefully over the soft skin of her neck. He left a single kiss before biting down on the same spot, hard but not enough to break the skin and draw blood. Erica gasped in his ear, instinctively tightening her grip around his neck, her fingers curling, as she was grasped in a web of pain and pleasure. Loki did not punish her for long. When her neck was released from the grip of his jaws, her moans quietened and there was wariness in her body language; it showed in her eyes too._

_Loki grinned, his hand reaching to stroke her cheek in a tender caress, while his eyes told her he was in charge, knowing that she wouldn't mind it at all that way. Leaning in to kiss her forehead, the god eased his weight off her, moving to settle on his side as his lips left her skin. He offered her his embrace, which Erica gladly accepted and she snuggled into his arms, her head tucked under his chin and her hands trapped between their chests. After the previous night, Erica wished to just be held and kissed; it was only until then that she realised how shaken he had left her the night before._

_Loki had warmed to her touch by now and it was far more pleasant than his usual cold temperature. The warmth, however didn't fight off the sense of wariness that lingered within Erica. She often felt this way around him. Loki liked it._

_She was never in any real serious danger from him – he would never ever try to kill her or cause her unfixable damage. But he was dark and he was powerful; he liked his games with her and a little fear made things fun for him, and for her as well, despite in different ways. Sometimes Erica even dared to push him, knowing fear would be her prize in return, the thrilling fear._

_Loki let out a soft, deep sigh, while his hand settled on her head and started to stroke her dark honey hair, slowly, the way he did to soothe her, and felt her stiffen slightly at his touch. Erica pressed her ear to his heart as he petted her, the strong thumps enough to echo through her. Under the thrall of Loki's touch, she was unable to stop her body from relaxing, nearly the opposite of her alert mind. They lay there in the silent darkness for what seemed like hours. Erica closed her eyes, wishing she could sleep in Loki's arms again. It was the one thing she couldn't do so it was the thing she wanted the most. She knew Loki could never visit her in the world of the living, not just in the land of dreams. It made her heart ache to know it would not happen._

_"What troubles you, my darling?" Loki purred, his body slowly tipping to leave Erica lying underneath him, the weight of him warm on her frail body._

_Breathing through her open mouth, the sounds were more like small gasps than regular breathing, and as her eyes flickered from his, she answered quietly with a little shake of her head, "Nothing."_

_"As the God of Lies, I don't appreciate being lied to, especially from a terrible liar such as yourself. It's a tad insulting, my girl," Loki hummed, unimpressed; his arms constricted around her form like a snake, pressing a more weight onto her._

_"It doesn't matter," she insisted, refusing to meet his gaze, however in the knowledge that not looking him in the eye wouldn't help to persuade him._

_With speed too fast for her register straight away, Loki's hand darted forward and grasped her chin in a firm but gentle hold between his thumb and forefinger to make her look at him, and to realise he wasn't going to accept her words until he got what he wanted. He cocked his head to the side, and Erica knew he was silently scolding her; she knew what that expression was. "Even so, I would like to know."_

_Erica opened her mouth to explain but she suddenly felt a physical resistance to utter her words. They simply wouldn't form. She felt bizarrely embarrassed to admit to him what she was thinking. "I, er, um," she stumbled and stopped at the sight of Loki raising a single dark eyebrow. Swallowing, she tried to regain control of her tongue and grasp her nerves and dignity. "I, er, just wished that I could see you in real life."_

_Loki lowered his head and lovingly kissed her forehead, expression softening for he shared her wish. "I know, my love, I know."_

_Erica's chest loosened at his words, a sense of reassurance and comfort enveloping her in a kind embrace, and Loki resumed his stroking of her hair, still lying atop her. Though as they lay in silence, Erica's mind heard his words, over and over again, scrapping away at their meaning, and it hurt to realise that it would never happen, even if they both wanted it. _

_Fate was not on their side. There was little hope for Loki to ever return to Midgard._

* * *

**Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think, and have a look at my other stories too :)**

**NOTE: I am thinking about writing a new fanfiction for ****_Young Dracula_****, I know it's a kids tv programme. HOWEVER, I am at liberty to write about whatever tickles my fancy and I always loved the show when I was younger (and Vlad become sooo gorgeous in Series 3). I think that if it was matured a bit - a lot - it could be a very good read and ****_Young Dracula_**** definately has a lot of potential, I think.**

**So please let me know if you'd be interested and please give it a read should I decide to expand on this muse ;) It would really mean the world to me and a bit of pondering never hurt anyone :P**

**Love and hugs xxx**


End file.
